The 2024 Formula 1 season was packed with excitement, drama, and historic achievements, keeping fans hooked throughout the year. From close finishes and impressive performances to surprising twists and intense rivalries, the season had something for everyone. Records were broken, new talents emerged, seasoned drivers delivered unforgettable moments and Max Verstappen clinched his fourth consecutive title in a row.
Here’s a look at the top 10 Formula 1 moments of 2024 that made the year so memorable.
10. Leclerc breaks Monaco curse
Charles Leclerc delivered a commanding performance to secure his first-ever victory at his home race, the Monaco Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver maintained his lead from the start and again after a 45-minute stoppage caused by a major first-lap crash involving Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg.
Monaco had long been a challenging venue for Leclerc, with some dubbing it a cursed track for the local hero. His struggles at his home race date back to 2017 in Formula Two, where he lost a feature race victory due to a loose wheel. His win at the 2024 Monaco GP was an emotional and at the same time, a historic win for Leclerc.
9. Lando Norris breaks his F1 duck
Lando Norris secured his first F1 victory in his 110th race, capitalizing on a perfectly timed Safety Car and then pulling away from Max Verstappen to claim the win at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. Having previously held the record for the most podium finishes without a win (15), Norris was running in sixth during the early stages of the race. However, McLaren’s strategy to extend his first stint paid off when a Safety Car was deployed after a crash involving Williams’ Logan Sargeant on lap 29.
This win was the beginning of a promising season for the Britt which eventually saw him finish a career-best 2nd in the driver’s championships behind Max Verstappen.
8. Oscar Piastri’s chaotic first win after Mclaren team controversy
The Hungarian Grand Prix was filled with controversy as Oscar Piastri secured his first Formula 1 victory. Starting second on the grid, Piastri took the lead at the first corner and led the majority of the race with teammate Lando Norris close behind. However, the race took a turn during the final round of pit stops when McLaren decided to pit Norris on Lap 45 to defend against third-placed Lewis Hamilton. Piastri stayed out for two more laps and rejoined the track behind Norris.
For the next 17 laps, Norris resisted multiple instructions to relinquish the position, at times ignoring his race engineer, Will Joseph. Eventually, Norris allowed Piastri through, and post-race, the Briton acknowledged he didn’t deserve to win, given he had lost his position at the start.
7. Perez and Sainz’s horrific crash at an action-filled Azerbaijan Grand Prix
In the final moments of the action-packed Azerbaijan GP, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz collided, resulting in both drivers crashing out of the race without scoring any points. The incident occurred on the penultimate lap, shortly after the long straight in Baku, when Sainz, who had been chasing Charles Leclerc, overtook Perez.
Perez attempted to counter with an inside move, gaining traction and making a slight right adjustment. However, Sainz’s left rear tire clipped Perez’s front right, causing the Ferrari to swerve into the barriers, while the Red Bull also crashed out. Perez was visibly angry with Sainz following the incident.
6. Russell stripped of Belgian GP win after disqualification
In a bizarre incident at the Belgian GP, George Russell’s victory was revoked after his car was found to be underweight during post-race inspections. Russell had executed a brilliant one-stop strategy to secure the win, holding off his teammate Lewis Hamilton despite starting from sixth on the grid. However, it was soon revealed that Russell’s W15 car failed to pass post-race scrutineering. According to the FIA technical delegate, the car’s initial weight was recorded at 798kg, precisely at the weight limit.
However, the weight limit applies to the car without fuel, and after 2.8 liters of fuel were removed for mandatory post-race checks, Russell’s W15 was found to weigh 796.5kg, well below the required weight limit. As a result, his car was deemed to have violated Article 4.1 of the technical regulations.
5. Hamilton wins British GP in his farewell Mercedes Season
Lewis Hamilton ended a 945-day winless streak by securing victory at the 2024 British Grand Prix, marking what can be seen as the emotional conclusion to his time with Mercedes. Before his win at Silverstone on July 7th, 2024, Hamilton’s last victory came at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on December 5th, marking a long 945-day wait for a triumph.
Returning Hamilton to the top step of the podium, in his home grand prix as he also broke the record for most wins at a single grand prix, was the the sendoff that both driver and team needed.
4. Verstappen shows his class at Interlagos
Under the dark skies of the Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo, the stage was set. Lando Norris was on the pole, while Max Verstappen sat 16 places behind. With a 44-point gap between the championship contenders, this was the moment McLaren had been waiting for. It was the day the much-needed points swing in the drivers’ championship unfolded, marking the start of Norris’ serious challenge.
Having gone without a victory since June, the Dutchman had been steadily closing the gap to the championship but struggled to match the pace of McLaren and Ferrari. However, the unpredictable wet conditions created a level playing field, it was Verstappen who would rise to the challenge amid the chaos of the Brazilian Grand Prix. From a position of adversity, Verstappen claimed what became one of his greatest triumphs.
3. Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is announced
The news initially sent shockwaves around the Formula 1 world, as Hamilton’s decision to leave the team with which he had enjoyed immense success, including seven world titles, seemed almost unthinkable. His switch to Ferrari marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in his legendary career. The move not only raised questions about the future dynamics of the sport but also sparked excitement about the potential of a Hamilton-Ferrari partnership.
After finishing seventh in this year’s standings, Hamilton makes the move to Ferrari following his lowest-ever finish in a Formula 1 drivers’ championship.
2. Mclaren clinches the first constructor’s title in 26 years
McLaren has ended its 26-year wait for a Formula 1 Constructors’ title, with Lando Norris, 25, and Oscar Piastri, 23, securing the championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the 2024 season. The last time McLaren clinched the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship was in 1998, with Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard driving. Since Zak Brown took over as CEO of McLaren Racing in 2018, he, alongside team principal Andrea Stella, has led the charge to return the team to its winning ways.
McLaren achieved a remarkable 20 podium finishes in 2024, with Norris securing victory in four races and Piastri winning two. In addition to the Constructors’ title, McLaren is set to receive a significant financial boost, with the prize money typically around $140 million, according to The Associated Press.
1. Max Verstappen wins fourth championship in a row
Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 world title after finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, extending his lead over McLaren’s Lando Norris. The 27-year-old joined an elite group of drivers—Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel, and Alain Prost—by claiming his fourth championship.
The Dutchman only needed to finish ahead of his championship rival Lando Norris at the Las Vegas Grand Prix which he managed to do with ease to round off another successful season with Milton Kean’s outfit.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
